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Rifle Conditions

Original Post
Nick T · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 0

The weather looks great at Rifle this weekend, but I keep hearing rumblings that the rock is seeping and its not great conditions there right now. Anyone been in the last few days care to comment on the conditions? Thanks!

Matt Lawry · · Louisville, CO · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 396

I have heard that Rifle is doable with some additional equipment:

Snorkel
Wet suit
Kleenex (For impending tears once you realize everything is wet)
Handle of grey goose/jim beam (Not a weekend worthy of the fancy stuff, but beer is not strong enough to numb the pain)

Joking (or not) aside, what looks dry out there??

Matt Hughes · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2014 · Points: 90

Its in pretty bad shape right now. I was just out there this afternoon and it was worse than yesterday (which was still really wet). There may be 5 "dry" routes. The weather forecast looks good, but the canyon has a lot of catching up to do before its dry.

Nick T · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 0

Damn. We have a friend in town for the weekend who's never been. I suppose its not worth it even for someone who's never been before?

Josh8384 Allison · · Glenwood springs, colorado · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 0

I have to agree with Matt the place is super wet. I would guess a week or two at least before I would try to climb there at all, its seeping more then I have seen in the 15 years I have been going up there I would guess it will be mid July before we see some of the walls dry up.

Trever O'Brien · · SD · Joined Oct 2014 · Points: 25

I was out there today and it was wet just like these guys said. I had my kids out there hoping to get on some of the easier routes. You can pretty much count them out. I wouldn't suggest taking a first timer at least not right now.

Trever O'Brien · · SD · Joined Oct 2014 · Points: 25

I was out there today and it was wet just like these guys said. I had my kids out there hoping to get on some of the easier routes. You can pretty much count them out. I wouldn't suggest taking a first timer at least not right now.

DavidCollins · · Grand Junction, CO · Joined Sep 2009 · Points: 20

Not to bad on the easier Potato routes at Middle Ice Caves today. The few wet patches were easy to avoid. Other routes in the area that I saw: Merry Maids is soaked, Funny Face routes have scattered damp spots, Feline and those routes looked dry.

Halley Stocks · · Boulder, CO · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 55
John Byrnes · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Dec 2007 · Points: 392

Just got home from Rifle last night. I didn't go to or see all the walls but here's what I did see.

Meat Wall had big wet streaks on all the routes except the new, new one on the right.

Cardinal Sin area is mostly dry and there were lots of people there.

The left side Project Wall was seeping everywhere; forget it. The right side had large wet sections, but Hang 'Em High, Eyrie and Bottom Feeder where getting done.

Kubrick's and G3 are dry.

The Wasteland is still wasted.

The bridge over to Ruckman is rotten/closed, but the wall looked dry.

The Arsenal is drier to the right of Pump O'Rama, people were climbing there. Spray and those routes looked wet but I didn't look really close.

It also rained really hard for about 3 hrs Sunday evening, so...

Chuck McQuade · · Golden, CO · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 1,246

How has the seeping issues resolved after all the rain. Looking to go this weekend....90% dry at this point...Im just guessing :) ?

John Byrnes · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Dec 2007 · Points: 392
Chuck McQuade wrote:How has the seeping issues resolved after all the rain. Looking to go this weekend....90% dry at this point...Im just guessing :) ?
Maybe not that much, depends how you measure ;-)

It's now been a week since I was there... the Project Wall was still very wet. The left side not climbable, right side; you're climbing between wet sections.

Left Meat: 80ft, Coldcuts & Crime were doable but you did have to climb through wetness. Right Meat was dry. Ruckman was mostly dry. Wasteland was still wasted. Arsenal about half wet. Anti-phil looked dry, but didn't look closely.
Didn't go into Bauhaus, Genesis, ZoS or Winchester.

I'll be there this weekend too.

Oh, yeah, the bridge to Ruckman has been repaired.
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Colorado
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